1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of cases for compact discs, and more particularly to a case for a compact disc made solely of paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the advent of inexpensive compact disc players in the mid-1980's, the vinyl record has almost been totally replaced with the compact disc ("CD"), which is smaller, less susceptible to skipping and damage, and holds more "data" be it music, video, and/or text "data". The recent explosion of popularity of compact discs for computers has resulted in tremendous growth in CD production. Because of the relatively small size of CDs, at first, CDs were sold in long CD boxes, with the CD in a jewel box inside. However, these long CD boxes were, unlike the record sleeve of vinyl records, discarded upon opening the CD packaging, creating a tremendous volume of solid waste. Moreover, long cases were an inconvenient size for mailing. More recently, CD's are packaged and sold in jewel cases alone, with the CD snapped in a tray contained in the jewel case. The jewel case with tray and CD are in turn typically covered with shrink wrap plastic film, which is discarded when the jewel case is first opened. If the CD in its jewel case is to be mailed, a padded envelope or box is generally used due to the relatively brittle plastic used for the CD jewel case and tray. Upon receipt, the padded envelope will be discarded, again adding to the solid waste disposal problem. Another problem with CD jewel case is that they are generally made from virgin plastic material, not recycled materials.
There is accordingly a need for a case for a CD which protects the CD during storage, transportation, display and handling, and which is capable of being manufactured of recycled and recyclable materials, such as thick paper and paperboard stock.